what happens now?
by shootingstar65
Summary: both are head boy and head girl and duing winter break, draco saves hermione and they get along pretty well but what happens when they return to Hogwarts? please R&R!
1. On A Snowy Evening

Disclaimer: I own nothing here except for the plot.  
  
Just a short summary (I forgot to mention that they're both head boy and head girl [since they're in their last year] because it's a big thing later on) : Draco saves Hermione and takes care of her until she recovers and before she notices him, he leaves. but what happens when they return to Hogwarts?  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
It was a snowy evening and a girl with bushy brown chestnut hair was walking down a dimly lit street and she was clutching a brown paper bag filled with all the goods she just bough from the grocery store. Her name was Hermione. She playfully kicked the snow as she walked but she was still quite angry because she had to stay at home during the Christmas break.  
  
"I wish I was with Ron and Harry." She whispered her breath clearly visible due to the cold atmosphere.  
  
It's already been over a week since their Christmas break had started and she asked her parents if she could spend her vacation time with her friends especially since they were going to Holland. Ron's big brother Bill was going to show them some dragons. She didn't really care about the dragons because she was never interested in such creatures; she just wanted to spend some time with dearest friends. It was as if the times they spent together in school weren't enough. She was so excited about it but upon hearing that she couldn't go, Hermione was furious deep inside but being the little obedient girl that she was, she just ignored it. But she became hysterical when her parents told her the reason why she wasn't going to be allowed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Daddy please can I go?" Hermione pleaded.  
  
"Honey, a no is a no." he said  
  
"But daddy.. I ju"  
  
"You're 16 and turning 17. I do believe that you know I mean no when I say no" he said with a serious tone.  
  
"Mom please.." she said turning to her mom who has been quiet throughout the whole conversation. "He just I was 16. Mom I know what to do. I can be trusted I will.. I won't do "things". Besides they're my best friends!!"  
  
Her mother just smiled at her. "It's not that sweetie"  
  
"Then what is it? I demand an answer" she said raising her tone just a little bit.  
  
"I'm expecting a baby." She said.  
  
"Really mother?" Hermione squealed. She rushed towards her mother and started patting her tummy. "For how long now?" she asked still patting the tummy gently.  
  
"This is the fifth month already." Her dad said.  
  
"Whaaaaaaat?" Hermione said clearly surprised. "How come I never noticed?"  
  
"Well, for an instance you spent your summer with your friends at, what is their home called again? The Berrow?"  
  
"The Burrow daddy." At this she blushed a little. She hardly ever stayed home anymore.  
  
"Oh yes, so we couldn't really tell you while you were in school because we knew you were busy and we didn't really want to tell you through owl. Figured we'd surprise you." He finished.  
  
"Well you did." She said smiling a big toothy smile. "buut.. I still don't see the connection on why I should stay here and not be with my friends. I mean I do love spending time with you and mother but it's still different."  
  
Her mother sat down on the couch and grabbed a story book. She started reading to the unborn baby in her womb while she stroked her tummy completely shutting herself off their conversation.  
  
"Your grandmother took care of your mother while she was conceiving you and she insists on taking care of your mother now that she's conceiving a baby again. She feels like the baby would be born a healthy one especially since she has given much needed attention toyou're your mother and baby."  
  
"But how come she just couldn't come here? Wouldn't that be better? I mean she can spend time with, with all of us." she reasoned out  
  
"Your grandmother is ripe with her age. You wouldn't want to give her the hassle of flying from Finland to here in London. We're scheduled to leave 5 days from now. And this is also part of your preparation to adulthood. You know being independent and living alone."  
  
"But I am independent! I study at Hogwarts and they teach you how to be independent since you are living away from not exactly your family because you can have siblings and all but I'm an only child so I never really had a family over there. Except for my friends whom I consider my family but they're still not you guys. It's not the same. I've been independent since I started studying there. I've been independent since I was 11." She said kind of breathlessly. She hardly inhaled while saying her long speech.  
  
"Yes I know but this is completely different. We're just going to be gone for 2 weeks and we'll be back just in time to celebrate Christmas. Your grandmother wouldn't be here of course. But we're still together."  
  
"Hermione." Her mother said. "Can't you see what we're trying to say?" Dark circles had surfaced her face and looked as if she was extremely tired because of taking care of herself and the baby.  
  
"I think you should get your sleep now, honey" her father told her mother.  
  
"Father what about me?"  
  
"What about you? It's always been you has it? Can't you see how tired your mother is and I think she needs your grandmother's help. You should think about her not yourself." He said angrily. Taking a step towards her.  
  
"But daddy.."  
  
"End of conversation."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
It's been 3 days after her parents left for Finland and now she's home alone. Living independently as she constantly and sarcastically reminded herself. "Stupid parents." She said softly. Really now Hermione, you should be a little less selfish, said a voice in her head. "You think I don't know that?" she told the voice irritably. She stopped walking for a while to pull her bonnet closer to hear head. It was ridiculously freezing tonight. She struggled to keep the goods she bought in the heavy paper bag she now clutched with one arm. She found her thoughts drifting on what her best friends could be doing right now. Whatever they're doing I know they're not freezing and not struggling with a brown paper bag! She thought.  
  
"Aaargh!! I should stop being so somber about this!!" she screamed to no one in particular. She just wanted to let it out.  
  
"A pleasant evening to you Miss" a figure fully cloaked in black apparated from nowhere. It was spoken in a low voice and Hermione assumed it was a man who had just appeared a few meters before her. The coldness of the voice sent chills down her spine.  
  
"And who may you be?" she asked trying to sound polite. She squinted her eyes so that she could see the face of this cloaked man but to her dismay, the hood completely covered his face.  
  
"No one you know but someone undoubtedly sending chills down your spine, eh? I hold you life now muggle." he hissed. He hasn't moved at all. He just stood there looking at her. Was he even looking at her? She couldn't be sure. She couldn't see his facial expression.  
  
"I.. I don't know what you mean." Hermione said taking a few steps backward. She looked at her surroundings checking if there were any muggles around and assuming that there were none, she slowly and carefully took her wand out from her sling bag.  
  
"You will soon enough" and as soon as he said his last word he suddenly lifted a few inches from the ground and started running, no gliding towards her. Hermione dropped her grocery bag and smashed a few bottles here and there and she started to run away from him. No point in using this yet, she thought gripping her wand. He thinks I'm a muggle so he shan't be expecting me to be able to use a wand. I'll just go with this cover and when I drive him into a corner, that's when I attack. She grinned a victorious grin. I just hope this plan will work. But somehow she a thought came surfacing into her mind that this one was something just so devious. Even if she was the greatest student Hogwarts has ever seen and mastered tons of charms and spells, she was never really in a combat that she handled alone. It was always one with either Harry or Ron always there checking if she was alright. She even admitted to herself that she was frightened somehow.  
  
  
Just as she turned to a dark alley, a cold hand gripped her wrist making her lose her balance and skid over some of the melted snow. But the hand that still painfully held her hand and kept her from falling face first to the ground.  
  
"Saved that pretty face of yours didn't I?" he said. He raised her higher from the ground. She winced in pain and also at the fact that the hand that was holding her was so cold. It was almost as if he was dead.  
  
"What the fuck do you want from me?" she shouted. Wait just a little more. Just a little more Hermione. She thought hiding her wand behind. Thankfully, he had grabbed the hand that wasn't holding the wand.  
  
"Now, now agitating me with your anger isn't exactly something advisable to do right now". By now she was face to face with him and she had to look at his face but it wasn't a pleasant sight even if she could hardly see the lineaments of his face. But she still could see the man's pathetic excuse for a face. It truly is a creepy face that cannot be described by words but the eyes are the worst. They had no pupil and it was black. It seemed as if they could see through you. It was plain evil. But one eye was scarred and the scar was still fresh. Hermione mustered all her strength in her to be able to snap out of the horror she felt. She spat at his scarred eye and he was startled. He lost his grip and Hermione came falling to the ground. She quickly stood up and decided to give him a stunning spell. She learned that if you're in a life threatening situation such as this one and you didn't know yet what your capabilities are, the best thing to do is stun your attacker and run. Run as fast as you could. She managed to stun him once then again but there never was a third one. He broke free from both as if he was never stunned.  
  
"You bitch!" He roared. "Crucio!" he bellowed and the pain hit Hermione instantly. She was writhing in pain for like forever. This is it. Six fucking years in Hogwarts and I couldn't even protect myself. Am I even a witch? She questioned herself. Then suddenly someone shouted something. She just lay there stunned and motionless, eyes closed, her breathing uneven. Her attacker screamed a low pitched scream and fell to the floor with a loud thud. It was bloodless and she knew that someone had just performed one of the Unforgivable curses.  
  
"Mindless git." The man spat at Hermione's attacker. "Wasting his precious time on something like this." She felt a pair of cold hands touch her and brush of some her hair of her face. Then she blacked out.  
  
"This woman looks familiar. Draco come over here." A man cloaked in black ordered.  
  
"Yes father." Draco murmured as he obediently came close to his father. He was clutching his black the silky material of his clothing. He just witnessed another death in the hands of his father.  
  
"I thought this woman was another Death eater so I planned on saving her. After all, a lot of us are being sent to Azkaban and I don't really want losing anymore of us. Can you identify this woman?"  
  
Draco looked at the girl and his eyes widened. Granger? Shit.  
  
"Oh, I remember now. It's one of your mudblooded fellow students in Hogwarts. No point in keeping her alive then." He said darkly. Just as he raised his wand and pointed it at her to perform another curse Draco spoke.  
  
"Father, no point in wasting our precious time like this. Portelli over there actually did us a favor. Wouldn't it be better if we left her alone to die here. It will be a slow and painful one." He smiled mischievously.  
  
"You bastard!" Lucius said as he slapped his son. "I am under the impression that you want to save this woman here."  
  
"Father, I would never do that. Haven't you told me that mudbloods like her are the lowest of our kind. They, born without even a drop of magical blood were preposterously allowed to live amongst us and permitted to practice our arts. I was raised by you to never look at them with respect and to make their lives a living hell in Hogwarts for that is all that they deserve. To be treated just like the very mud that flows in their veins. I just wanted to make her last minutes in this earth a miserable one. To die a slow and painful death at this weather that is freezing." He said with gritted teeth. His father took a step near him and looked straight in his eyes. After judging him he said, "You are lying to me." He slapped him once again this time with force that sent him down next to Hermione.  
  
"I am not father! I am not!!" he screamed. "Shut up boy!" his father bawled. Then there was silence. He was listening to their surroundings. He then heard whistles. The muggle police were near since a few muggles reported a fight in that alley.  
  
"Enough mess for tonight." Lucius said. He grabbed Draco by the collar and brought him to his feet. "If ever I prove that you have lied to me you will suffer the consequences. You know them don't you?" Draco nodded with a stern face. How he despised his father for treating him like this. Exactly like a mudblood. "Very well. You know how I am when I am lied to don't you?"  
  
"Yes father" Draco mumbled. "Good" he's father said letting go of his collar. "You will clean this mess up. She is close to death anyway." He said looking at Hermione with pure disgust. With that, he apparated.  
  
"Fuck you" Draco said to the thin air that his father occupied just seconds before. He just realized that it had stopped snowing and the clouds gave way to the moonlight. It shone to Hermione and Draco then realized how badly bruised the girl had been.  
  
"Who goes there?" asked one of the muggle police peering through the darkness of the evening. All he could make out was a girl around her teens badly hurt on the ground with a hooded boy standing next to her. The policeman had a dog with him and it was a black Labrador that kept barking at the two youngsters. "What in heaven's name have you done to that lady!"  
  
Draco didn't pay attention. He just scooped Hermione from the ground and just like he was mocking the policeman, he made a salute sign and disapparated into thin air. The policeman was indeed puzzled. Where had they gone? He scratched his head.  
  
"Oh well Muffy." He said patting the dog's head. "I guess I've drank quite too much tonight." He left the alley.  
  
And just like that, it snowed again. This time, it was less harsh. More serene in a way.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
A/N: I changed some parts here for the people who read before because I just noticed a fatal mistake (very fatal!!) when my friend edited it for me. I'm grounded so I couldn't really correct my mistakes right away but well they're corrected here. So. did you like it? hope you did!! Thanks to the people who reviewed! They really made me smile especially the one who pointed my mistakes out! 


	2. Come What May

Disclaimer : Nothing.. but the ploy :]  
  
Chapter 2: Come What May  
  
Malfoy still carrying Hermione appeared in his bedroom in the Malfoy Manor. Apparating has become something so normal to him ever since his father had taught it to him.  
The fury of his father would cost him her life and probably his too if his father learns that a mudblood like her had entered his home. But where else could he bring her? He had no knowledge on where she lives and even if it irritated him, he couldn't just leave her to die there in the cold alleyway corner.  
  
"Well, what's done is done." He told himself in the hope that it would make him feel assured of his actions but it just made him more confused. He cautiously placed Hermione on his bed. She felt so light in his arms and he even felt her curves. Shit! What am I thinking of? He exclaimed in his mind. But he still had to act. He knew very well that Hermione couldn't stay long for the consequences it would offer are lethal. If Lucius returns and he sees her there, the results are most likely to be morbid. He removed his cloak and threw it at the coat hanger and it fell right into place.  
  
Someone tapped gently on the door interrupting his thoughts. Draco knew who it was, his mother. "Draco darling may I enter? I heard from Tippy, one of our house elves, that you had just returned. Where is your father?" She called out from his bedroom door. Damn house elf. Why do their senses have to be so damn sensitive? He looked at Hermione then the door and back to Hermione. He was debating on hiding Hermione from his mother so that if ever Lucius came and he found out about Hermione, she wouldn't be involved but then again his mother was very wise. Moreover, if his father found out, no one would be an exception from his punishment whether they are innocent or not. He shrugged his shoulders.  
  
Come what may. He thought.  
  
He opened the door. "Father's out." He said. He watched her expression as her eyes met his and narrowed at the sight of Hermione on his bed. He shrugged again. It's starting to become a habit. "I know, I know. She shouldn't be here. Father would have both our heads, even if you had nothing to do with it upon knowing what I've done. "  
  
"Oh my!" she said completely ignoring him and what he had just said. She clasped both her hands on her mouth. "She's badly wounded. Go get my wand. Something has to be done and it has to be done fast." She said running to Hermione. She examined her condition and checked her heart rate. Draco had been so busy contemplating on what could happen when his father returns that he had forgotten how badly wounded Hermione really was.  
  
"She's lost quite a lot of blood and she has a very high fever. It's snowing outside and that just made matters worse making her have slight pneumonia. But her wounds, her wounds are just terrible. Do you know who did this?" she asked her son when she turned to meet his face.  
  
"Portelli." Said Malfoy  
  
"The bastard!" she said turning her gaze back to Hermione. "I know nothing of your "errands" and I never did approve of any of them but why torture someone this much? Especially a woman!" she cried out. "My wand, Draco my wand." She reminded him.  
  
"Accio wand." He muttered and his mother's wand came zooming in to his room. "No need to worry mother. Portelli's dead." He said handing the wand to her. "Father used the Avada Kedavra on him."  
  
She slightly winced at the mention of the curse. "Thank you." She said thanking him for the wand.  
  
She couldn't help not to smile. She was proud of his son. She worried about her son because Lucius had insisted that starting summer; their son should accompany him on his every "errand" except when he is in school. Not that Draco hadn't been going with his father ever since his 5th year but 7th year "trips" are a lot different. They would all serve as small little tests to tests their son's ability if he had what it takes to be a Death Eater and also serve as preparation for the Death Mark. But look now, he brought home with him a woman, probably a victim, to be looked after for. At least until Lucius returns. Or maybe this woman is someone special to him. Then that would mean that he has learned how to love. The woman? Yes, oh yes! She thought and she quickly went to work. She pulled out a couple of white small containers from her dress pockets and in them were healing creams she had made herself.  
  
"Draco, will you please turn around. I have to remove her clothes so that I could have a better view of her wounds and heal most of them?"  
  
He did as he was told. Narcissa undressed most of Hermione's clothes except for her undergarments. She worked first with her legs and found out that there were just an abundance of bruises and hardly cuts there.  
  
"You know Draco honey, you can turn around even if she's just wearing her undergarments. She's your girl friend after all." She teased.  
  
"It is not like that at all!" he shouted and turned to look at his mother and tell her that but upon seeing Hermione half-naked, he turned his head back again. He flushed a little but it faded quickly.  
  
"You don't have to take sneak glances like that. You're together anyway." She said smiling more.  
  
"I told you mother. It's not like that. She is a mere victim that I took pity of and besides Granger is my school mate." Shit. Lame excuse. What? Did I just think that was an excuse because it isn't! It's not an excuse! He thought.  
  
He ruffled his silver blonde hair in anger. His mother laughed a sweet laugh. And he smiled. He loved rare moments like this where he would be laughing with his mother. He felt whole when times like this happen. But they seldom happen so as much as he wants to treasure it and look at his mother's expression and her smile because he hardly sees it, he couldn't. Not with Hermione half-naked. It's just that when his father's home, she's always wearing a solemn expression and sometimes, a weeping mother is what he sees. It just pains him to see her cry.  
  
She finished with Hermione's legs and then worked with her stomach. It was the same there, more of bruises than scabs or cuts.  
  
"Did you just say that this lady's last name is Granger?" she asked  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Isn't she the Head Girl? The one your father speaks most seldom of aside from Harry Potter. The "mudblood" he says. One that you should torment especially since you live in the same quarters." She asked.  
  
"Yessss" he said, making the 's' longer than usual. Why was his mother asking questions like this?  
  
"Well, I'm glad you're not following you father's orders. You know, tormenting her and all."  
  
"Actually, I am tormenting her. Quite a lot you know. It's a habit. Tormenting, them. The Golden Trio. I think they're just pathetic, thinking that they're higher than everyone else. Especially Granger and Weasel. They're just clinging unto Potthead's fame. " He said with a smirk. They're all fakes. Pretending to be heroes. Crap.  
  
She sighed. She rubbed cream in Hermione's wounds. Then she finished that part. She then magically dressed Hermione again with her shirt but left her pants and her coat out. There were quite a lot bruises on her legs and she placed a lot of cream and they still needed to dry. She had always believed that it's always better for wounds to heal the muggle way because it was natural. That's why she was placing those creams. But she also used the magical way first because it was more convenient. Faster, rather. Still, the creams do have a different effect even if they take longer.  
  
"Promise me one thing Draco." She said pulling the blanket up to Hermione's leg then she muttered a spell that would make the blanket balloon a little so that it wouldn't touch Hermione's legs. She worked with Hermione's arms now.  
  
"What is it?" Draco said. His mother was acting a little peculiar.  
  
"Don't be bitter." She said.  
  
He didn't answer what his mother was expecting him to answer. He knew he was already bitter and he couldn't find the heart to ever lie to his mother. He loved her so much.  
  
"Why shouldn't I be? I'll be father's pawn all my life anyway. I already know what he has in store for me in the future especially after I graduate. All Slytherins have futures the same as mine whether we like it or not." He said.  
  
But he felt the complete opposite in a way he couldn't explain. He knew he could defy his father if he wanted to. After all, it was his father who taught him how to be bitter, to hate the weak, and to make up his own mind --- with the consent of his father. But then he didn't really need his father to help him make his choices. He would make his own. He could be a Death Eater if he wanted to. It would be amusing, that is if the Dark Lord wins. Or he could always defy everything that was taught to him and choose to fight with the side of justice and peace. And for his third choice, he could always just sit in a corner and let both sides battle and loose loyal comrades and he'd just snicker at their stupidity.  
  
Narcissa sighed again. She somehow knew that was going to be his answer. "You can turn around now." She said and Draco did. She just dampened a handkerchief and made it wet by saying a spell and she wiped Hermione's face with it. She placed the handkerchief on Draco's bedside table.  
  
She stood up and turned to him. "You look like your sick." She told him.  
  
"I'll be fine. It was a little cold outside."  
  
"If you say so. I'm just going to make a potion that would make her feel even better after she takes it." Narcissa said. She walked out of the room.  
  
Draco walked towards Hermione and looked at her. He sat down on his bed close to Hermione. He had seen her sleeping tons of times back in Hogwarts earlier this year because they both shared the same quarters. Sometimes she would go straight to her bedroom and fall asleep right after she falls on her bed with her books scattered on the floor after she gently threw them aside. She had been in the Library studying because she didn't want to study in their common room. Studying there would mean that she had to endure Draco's snotty and rude remarks when peace is something needed when studying.  
  
Or sometimes, she'd fall asleep on her head using a book as a pillow in her study table and Draco could see her due to her bedroom door being slightly open.  
  
And only once did he see her sleeping in her couch in their common room. It was about 8:30 am then and Draco just woke up. There were food in the coffee table as well as her books and she was eating breakfast here while studying and she fell asleep. She was holding a cream puff and some of the cream were smothered in her cheek making her look ridiculous but somehow angelic. He then shouted at her ear making her bolt up into a seating position and Draco smacked a cream puff in her face.  
  
"Morning Granger. Isn't the morning just sweeter with you around?" he sneered licking his fingers clean of the cream from the smashed cream puff.  
  
Hermione was so mad at him that she transfigured him into a rat, a blonde rat with silver eyes, and made Crookshanks chase him all around. Professor McGonagall came in their living quarters to check what all the noise in there was all about. She found a blonde rat and shouted at Hermione because she knew right away that it was Draco Malfoy. That gave Hermione detention for a whole week and 50 points off the Gryffindor house. But to Hermione, it was worth seeing Malfoy (as a rat) run around their quarters like that. When she picked him up and stared at two tiny balls of silver eyes, he bit her finger. Wrong move for Malfoy, he fell on his back on the floor and when he was turned back into a human again by the Professor, he had back aches all week. Wonder Boy and Weasel couldn't stop laughing at him for a whole month.  
"Imagine? Malfoy? A rat? Serves him right." Potthead said to everyone seated at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall one morning. The whole table erupted with laughter. Malfoy told himself he'll get them all for laughing at him.  
  
He shifted his thoughts to the present again. Her breathing was even now meaning that she was feeling better. Hermione was sweating so much making her bushy hair cling to her forehead and the sides of her face. She was also flushed because she was having a slight fever making her cheeks rosy red against her now pale skin. She looked horrible but that was because she looked sick.  
  
They despised each other. He knew that. But why, why is he helping her like this?  
  
"You're awfully ugly." He spat and he meant it. At least he thought he meant it. Then without knowing what he was doing, he got the damp handkerchief and started wiping her face. He traced the contours of her face with the handkerchief starting from the jaw line then he moved up to trace the bridge of her nose then down to her cheek bones. He was about to remove the handkerchief and trace the outline of her mouth and touch her lips with his bare finger when Hermione coughed a silent cough and Draco was startled. Realizing what he had been doing, he stopped and quickly dropped the handkerchief to the floor.  
  
"I still think you're awfully ugly." He spat at her again. He turned away from her and went to one of his towering bookshelves that lined two walls of his bedroom and got a book and read it. He sat on his armchair. Little did he know that his mother was there beside the door watching him and his actions. There is still hope after all. Narcissa thought.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
About twenty minutes later, his mother came back with a small bottle in her hand.  
  
"Malfoy, you have to bring her home. We got lucky this time that your father is taking longer than usual in his errands although it sickens me to think of what he might be doing." She told him handing him the bottle. "Make her drink this when she wakes up. It will make her feel better."  
  
"I don't know where she lives." Draco said taking the potion in his hand.  
  
"I checked the things placed in her sling bag and I found her wallet. I found her address in an I.D. You must leave now." She went towards Hermione pulled the blanket down and magically dressed her fully. Draco quickly turned around.  
  
"But what happens when father asks where I am?" he asked.  
  
"It'll be up to me. Go now." She said.  
  
"Alright." He said as he wore his black cloak. He never apparated without it just in case someone would see him apparating. With his cloak on, no one would know the boy who vanished into thin air was. He picked Hermione up from his bed the same way he did when he picked her up from the alleyway corner. And with a soft pop they disappeared.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Dinner time!!" roared Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Oooh Dinner. I'm famished" exclaimed Ginny standing up from her lying position in her bed. She then rubbed her stomach and licked her lips.  
  
"Really now Gin, you should stop acting so childish. You're already 15 for crying out loud." Ron said. Harry just laughed. The three friends were all in room that they were sharing in Bill's house in Holland.  
  
"What's wrong with being hungry huh, Ron? You're just scared that mom will be serving carrot tops for dinner and you're gonna blend with it." she said making a face at Ron who was lying down in his bed. Harry was sitting down.  
  
"I didn't quite get that one but just in case you didn't notice were all red heads in the family. Go look in the mirror." Ron said pointing at the mirror.  
  
Ginny blushed. She forgot and she made such a horrible comment in front of Harry. He just looked so handsome hours ago when he was taming a live dragon with Bill, Fred, George, Ron, and Daddy. Ginny thought. I need to impress him somehow. Just so that he'd notice me. She frowned a little at the latter thought.  
  
"She does have a point. What's wrong with being hungry?" Harry said throwing a pillow at Ron. Ginny blushed even more. She was practically crimson now. My crush just protected me! Well not really protected me but close to that anyway. Ginny thought happily.  
  
"Now you've done it mate." Ron said removing the pillow from his face. "Pillow fight!!" he screamed. He pretended to want to throw the pillow at Harry but he threw it to Ginny instead hitting Ginny smack in her face. They all laughed and threw pillows at each other until there were feathers everywhere.  
  
"Shit. We've made a mess. Bill's gonna kill us for this. Feather pillows are expensive." Ron said aloud.  
  
"You're forgetting something big brother of mine." Ginny said while toying with her wand. She was grinning at him.  
  
"Oh yeah!" Ron shouted. Just then Fred came opening the door with a fried chicken leg in his hand.  
  
"There's no more chicken left." He explained waving the chicken leg in the air. "Sorry 'bout that. I love chicken. Now get your asses down for dinner. I reckon George had murdered the lamb ma cooked." And with that he left.  
  
"I don't know about you guys but I'm really hungry!" Ginny said running out of the bedroom. Lamb was her favorite dish and she wouldn't let George to finish it all. Over her dead red-haired body.  
  
"Let's go." Harry said. "I'm starving after taming that wild dragon. Thought it was going to step on me or something." He muttered a spell and the feathers tucked themselves in the pillow cases once again. He smiled. Ron was just staring into thin air.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Huh? Sorry Harry. I was just thinking about Mione. Wish she was here."  
  
"Yeah, me too. Wonder what she's been doing."  
  
"No Harry. You've got it wrong. I just don't mean it the way you do. I mean it." Ron said facing him.  
  
"You mean mean it?" Harry asked his green eyes shining with confusion and surprise.  
  
"Yes I do. I've meant it for ages. Ever since 4th year. That's why I was so mad when she said she was going to the Ball with some git like Viktor Krum. Oh I'm Viktor. I call Hermione Hermioninny or something stupid like that." Ron said copying Viktor Krum waving his hands in the air. Harry laughed. Ron was just so funny when he was angry.  
  
"I just don't know what to do about it." he said wrinkling his forehead with frustration.  
  
"You gotta tell her mate. She might just slip out of your grip to someone else. She already did before. Glad she broke up with him." Harry said. He was pertaining to Viktor Krum.  
  
"Malfoy?!" Ron asked standing up with anger.  
  
"I was pertaining to Viktor Krum, Ron. Why the sudden mention of Malfoy?" Harry said.  
  
"I don't know myself. I guess it's just the fact that they have the same living quarters and he could do something to her. It just exasperates me so much." He said under gritted teeth. He was jealous of Malfoy for that reason.  
  
"We've been over this Ron ever since the start of school year. Hermione's not the type to fall for someone like that. And remember the incident where she turned him into a rat? And lotsa other incidents like that too." Harry said trying to reassure his best friend.  
  
"Yeah, you do have a point." Ron said laughing. "I wish I saw him as a rat."  
  
"Young men. Down, NOW." Mrs. Weasley appeared in the doorway startling both of them. Her arms were crossed on her chest.  
  
"Okay, okay. We're going down now." Ron told his mother. He was a lot happier now ready to gobble up food. Too bad that all that was left when they came down were vegetables, soup, and only scraps of meat.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Once again, Draco carrying Hermione in his arms appeared in front of Hermione's doorstep. He walked up to the step nearest to the door and he made her sit down on it leaning her back against the brick wall. This was tough since she was still unconscious. He rang the doorbell once, twice and thrice but there was still no answer. He couldn't hang around for long because Lucius could be back at this very moment and he should be home so that nothing wrong would happen. He pulled out the bottle and a piece of paper and he rummaged Hermione's sling bag for a pen or any kind of writing material. She did have one and he wrote something on the piece of paper. He grabbed her hand and made her clasp the bottle and he rolled the piece of paper and stuck it behind her earlobe. It had stopped snowing but it was still freezing. Draco clung unto his cloak to keep him warm and he turned to leave, walking down the steps. Just as he was ready to apparate, he ran his hand through his hair angrily. He hadn't been bothering to gel it anymore since the school year started since messing up his hair when he gets irritated has become a habit. He walked back to her again and went up the stairs. He took off his cloak and threw it to Hermione's body. It was a large cloak that it covered her leaving her face the only body part exposed.  
  
"You're damn lucky for everything I've done for you tonight." He howled at her angrily. He'd been so confused throughout this whole ordeal and the fact that he saved Hermione made him even angrier. What's gotten over me? I saved a muggle. A mudblood. I saved Granger, one of Potter's worshippers. He'd been asking himself that question over and over again.  
  
He walked down the steps, his hands in his pockets, his only way of keeping himself warm now that he had given his cloak to Hermione. He checked his surrounds again and then he apparated.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The moment he had arrived in his bedroom a cold voice questioned him. "And just where exactly have you been?"  
  
Draco turned around and he saw his father sitting down on his armchair beside the fireplace with the fire crackling, giving off warmth. His mother was standing beside his father. She looked worried.  
  
"I've been cleaning your mess." He said meeting his father's gaze.  
  
"Really? Have you been really cleaning--" Lucius said standing up from his chair leisurely. He walked towards him and shot him a menacing stare "-my mess" he finished.  
  
"I told you and I'm not repeating it again." Draco told his father. His face held no expression and if you happen to be in Lucius' position and you were staring at his eyes looking for fault, you wouldn't find any. Staring at his beautiful silver eyes was like staring at eyes of someone lifeless.  
  
They stared at each other, Lucius giving off the wicked gaze and Draco was just looking at the eyes of his father. One would think they were having a staring contest with a twist: find fault in the other by looking at his eyes (because the eyes flicker when someone lies) and when you do, you can discipline him anyway you want to.  
  
But upon seeing that there was no hope Lucius finally gave up. He wasn't going to be able to squeeze out a confession from him like this.  
  
"I'll take your word for that." Lucius said raising his eyebrows at him. He said it with doubt and he said it darkly. With such words uttered, he grasped his cane leaning at the armchair. He looked at his aging but still beautiful wife with her blonde hair pulled in a messy bun standing behind the arm chair. He wanted to give her a death defying stare but she was staring at her hands.  
  
A definite sign of guilt. Lucius thought. But on the contrary, she's always staring at her hands or on the floor when I'm around. He still gave of the death defying stare even if Narcissa wasn't looking at him. He turned around his long blonde hair swinging at the direction where he had turned and he stomped out of his son's room furiously.  
  
When Narcissa was sure Lucius was out of earshot, she ran to her son and hugged him. He returned the hug back. He was the first to break away from the hug.  
  
"I was so terrified. He came minutes after you apparated and upon seeing that you weren't in your room and I was, he searched the whole Manor for you. When he didn't find you, he came back here and sat down there." She said pointing at the arm chair where Lucius had sat. "We waited for you for only a couple of minutes but it seemed like forever." She breathed out a sigh of relief. "Is she alright?"  
  
"Granger? Yeah she's fine. Brought her home." He shrugged.  
  
Narcissa saw that Malfoy wasn't wearing his cloak and she smiled. One way or another she knew that he had given it to her.  
  
"Would you like a midnight snack?" she offered. Draco looked at his wall clock. It was only 15 minutes before midnight.  
  
"I would love that." he replied.  
  
A/N : I managed to upload this chapter without my mom's knowledge! (bwahaha! Go me!!) I couldn't find chapter 3 in my computer and I came to the conclusion that my brother deleted it (EVIL) so I sadly have to type everything again *sniff* thanks to the people who reviewed and took the time to read this fan fic!! And for one of my reviewers who asked how old I am, I'm only 13. 14 in two months. :] 


	3. Hey

Disclaimer: nothing but the plot  
  
Chapter 3: Hey  
  
It was a warm morning and the whole neighborhood was covered in snow. A few kids were making snow angels on their small snow covered lawns. Hermione slowly opens her eyes and is blinded by the stream of sunlight directly shone on her face. She looked around and she realized that she was there sitting at the stone steps of her home. She was wrapped up in a heavy black cloak but has no memory of owning any.  
  
"How did I get here? What happened to me?" she asked herself in a soft whisper her voice somewhat cracking. Her body felt sore in all places and she had a small migraine. "And who owns this cloak?" she said. She sniffed the cloak and it didn't have such a pleasant smell. It smelled of dried-up sweat and strangely, blood too.  
  
She tried hard to remember what happened to her but it wasn't clear. She remembers a chilly sleazy voice, a chillier hand gripping her hand, and a man cloaked in black gliding towards her. She doesn't know why but she suddenly shivers because of these flashbacks as they rush to her mind. She wraps herself even more in the black cloak. Then she feels a pang of pain in her skull and she quickly places her hand on that part of her skull hoping that doing so would ease the pain. But she couldn't control the flashbacks as more of they came to her in bits and pieces. And these flashbacks didn't help in answering what else had happened to her because they were simply voices and visions. But she knew now that one way or another, she was attacked. For now, icy ill-willed voices filled her mind. She oddly feels like she's heard one of them before. She tucked in a curl of hair behind her ear and she felt something stuck there. What's this? She questioned herself pulling it from her ear and saw that it was a piece of parchment. She unrolled it to read its content.  
  
Drink this.  
  
That's it? She thought frowning with confusion. She turned the piece of parchment around to check if there was anything else but there was nothing written at the back. The letter, if it could be considered a letter having only two words, didn't even say who it was addressed to and who it was from. Must be some kid who thought I looked funny sleeping out here that he decided to stick some weird note on my ear. She shook her head. Nah. Too far-fetched. She thought dismissing that silly idea.  
  
She turned her attention back to the letters content. It told her to drink something. "This? What will I drink?" She stood up and looked around once more to search for something she didn't even know what looked like. She did know she had to find it somehow. She saw a deep violet flask at the bottom of the stone steps lying there on the sidewalk. That must be it. She thought and she stood up leaving the cloak there for the reason that it was quite heavy being a large cloak. When she got a hold of the flask, she saw that it had a crack on the bottom part. She shook the bottle so that she could feel if it still had some liquid in it or if the whole thing had poured out from the crack. It still has ample liquid inside. She thought after shaking it. She pulled the cork out opening the flask and she smelled its contents. She came to the conclusion that it was a potion. It's instinct because she could tell if a liquid is a potion or if it wasn't, after making tons of it back in Hogwarts for the past six years.  
  
The question remained: should she drink it or not. She stared at the flask for a few minutes when she decided that she won't drink it. She couldn't make herself drink something as mysterious as this since she didn't know who it came from. And it was also possible that the potion could harm her when she drank it. After all, her attacker did fail to silence her, if that was his intention because she's here; breathing, alive, and very much confused.  
  
Then it struck her.  
  
"My Food!" she shouted almost dropping the bottle and startling one of the kids who were building a snow man across her house. She didn't remember that she dropped her grocery bag as she tried to escape from her attacker last night. She scratched her head again wondering where her grocery bag had gone.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
It was already two more days before Christmas Eve and Hermione's parents had just arrived from Finland. Their plans have changed from the initial plan because Hermione's grandmother insisted on caring for her mother at least for a week more because she had grown fond of taking care of the unborn baby. They even asked Hermione if she would want to fly to Finland because it was quite sad to be home alone but Hermione refused. She loved nature and Finland is a beautiful country filled with breath-taking mountains and a whole lot of greenery but she wished to avoid being close to loved ones after what happened to her. Being attacked and all. Because if her attacker did wish to harass her once more and she was anywhere near her family, they could be hurt in the process. Her mother can't afford to defend herself because she's pregnant and her father didn't stand a chance against magic especially the Unforgivable Curses. She knew very well that her parents cannot withstand such torture like that. She'd just have to sacrifice feeling lonely for just a few more days.  
  
Nonetheless, her parents are home now and they have all started preparing for their small Christmas celebration. A simple celebration was done every year for Christmas. Just a scrumptious dish was prepared lovingly by her mother and they'd all sing Christmas carols for the hang of it. Hermione's parents were quite religious so when the clock strikes twelve they'll be silent for one minute then light candles all over their house. But this year had to be extra special because of the addition in their family, the baby. They were going to have an extra scrumptious dish and Hermione was asked by her parents to buy the meat together with all the fixings in the grocery store.  
  
"Joy to the World, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her king! ---" a group of little children sang at the top of their lungs outside the grocery store. They were all wearing white and wore elfish hats as well. Hermione stopped to watch along with the small crowd that had gathered around them. When they finished, she smiled at each of them as she fished her pockets for candy and handed it to them. All the children hid everything they received in their pockets except for one red-haired one. They all started to sing another Christmas carol entitled "O Holy Night". But the little girl unwrapped the candy Hermione gave her and gobbled it up with one finger. She sang while chewing it making her voice sound funny. Hermione smiled again at the red-haired child. She reminded her of Ginny somehow. Then she sighed. She missed Ron, Harry, and Ginny a whole lot. Heck, she missed everyone in Hogwarts.  
  
She started walking back home singing a Christmas carol she learned to play in the piano. It was the first piece she ever learned and like most firsts, she treasured it. It's amusing though since she forgot the title but she cherishes the piece.  
  
After a while she felt like she was being watched, again. The hairs at the back of her neck started to rise because she was scared. Then her mind started playing tricks on her. Maybe this guy had molested her even more after she blacked out. I hope nothing like that happened to me. She said frowning. It incensed her that she didn't have her wand with her tonight since she thought that it wasn't necessary to bring it. Her attacker hadn't bothered her for weeks now and she thought he didn't wish to continue tormenting her. How could she be so careless? She gritted her teeth in anger.  
  
"I have to be brave. I will be brave. I will be brave." She told herself over and over again under her breath.  
  
A plan suddenly struck her as she saw that the street where she was walking had a tiny alleyway just a few more steps ahead where she could turn. Of course whoever was following her would be furious because he had lost sight of her. He would quicken his pace as well. And before he can even pass that tiny alleyway, she'd smack him on the head with the leg of ham she was holding. The paper bag contained the leg of ham which was still frozen making it rock hard. I just hope this works. She thought. She was really nervous because this was her only plan and if it failed, she didn't have a back up plan making her vulnerable.  
  
"I am brave." She said to herself even nodding her head at the process. She could still feel the eyes watching her. She breathed a sigh as she turned swiftly to the corner and executed her plan. She quickly pulled out the leg of ham from the grocery bag and she placed the paper bag on the ground. She gripped the leg in her hands and she was anticipating him. According to her calculations which she just presumed; he should reach her by approximately less than fifteen seconds.  
  
But her calculations weren't accurate. He had not reached her in fifteen seconds. Not even 16 or 20 or 30. Her inquisitiveness got the best of her. She stepped out of her hiding place, still holding the frozen leg of ham and to her surprise she didn't see anyone behind her. Perhaps she has grown paranoid because of what had recently happened to her. Maybe there was no one that was following her in the first place. She scanned the whole block, first looking straight ahead to check for any suspicious looking man then she turned around and scanned the rest of the block. There really was no one who looked suspicious. She saw a mother holding her daughter's hand and they were discussing something and there were a group of carolers singing the night away. The people there looked like typical muggles enjoying the holiday season.  
  
Then she saw a boy. A boy who had blonde hair walking with his hands in his jean pockets and his was back facing her.  
  
"Malfoy." She found herself saying. He was the only she knew with that shade of hair her but then again she couldn't be sure. He was too far away now and she couldn't see his face. So she just stood there in the street, still clutching the leg of ham, and watched the boy's hair glistening as light bounced off it.  
  
"Me and my hallucinations." She told herself. She got the grocery bag and placed back the meat in the bag and started to walk home.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Ha! She must think I'm dense if I was to fall for that simple trick. Draco thought as he saw Hermione disappear. He guessed that she turned into a small corner. He decided that there was no point in following her now, so he turned around and headed to the other direction.  
  
"She must think I'm that low. That dim-witted." He talked to himself. "She's the stupid one. Not me. I'm Draco Malfoy coming from the untainted and almighty bloodline of the Malfoy's. She's the trying hard muggle-born"  
  
Now, I'm talking to myself. First I spend my time following Granger around and now talking to myself? He shook his head in disgust. But then again he had to ask himself yet another question. He didn't have to question himself on why he was following her. His mother had asked him to check if Hermione was fine after receiving such beating like that. When he asked her why she cared about a muggle yet alone a mudblood, she said she felt like Hermione had a good heart. Good heart my ass. Malfoy thought. And when he asked her on why he had to this, she simply answered.  
  
"I didn't say you had to do so, I have only asked you to do so."  
  
So why was he doing this? Out of the goodness left in his heart. But he made it clear that he wasn't doing it for Hermione. He chose to do it because it was his mother's request.  
  
"I'm going home now." He said ruffling his hair unaware that Hermione was now watching him from a distance.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Hermione was sitting on her four-poster bed and she was playing her piano piece in her invisible piano in the air. She couldn't play the piano because the noise it would make would be loud and it would wake the whole household. She decided that it was hopeless practicing like this. She opened her bedside table to place the book filled with piano pieces in it. In the table, she found the flask that once contained the potion she found on the steps of her house weeks ago. She never drank it. She just threw all of it down her toilet 3 nights ago but upon realizing that if it was a potion containing some sort of poison; it could dissolve her marble toilet. Good thing that it wasn't a poisonous one so thankfully her toilet didn't dissolve.  
  
They had just finished eating their Christmas dinner and had done all the rituals that needed to be done. She asked if she could spend some time alone in her room to practice playing her piano and her mother said yes. She had been practicing for just about thirty minutes before realizing that it was silly practicing like that. She looked at her clock and she learned that it was already 1:48 am. She stood up from her bed and turned her boom box on.  
  
Beside the radio lay her Christmas presents from her friends in Hogwarts. Their owls had come one after the other before the clock struck twelve. Harry gave her a watch. At first she was wondering why she received a watch but it had a note that came with it. It said that if ever Hermione or any of the three of them need each other, they would just tap on the watch's surface five times and wear it on their left hand and they could already communicate with each other. Harry also gave Ron and Ginny a charmed watch. Ginny on the other hand gave her this beauty products filled kit complete from something called Taming Shampoo --which promises to straighten hair instantly and give it some luster-- to cosmetics that promised to make you beautiful. If the gift wasn't from Ginny, she would have given it away to charity this Christmas. Except for the shampoo. Maybe I should try it she thought after she ran her hands through her curly hair and her finger got tangled into one of the curls. She figured she didn't need anything else in the kit. She wasn't vain. The rest of her gifts were all similar: books, and anything that had to do with giving out information. They must think I'm the biggest book worm in the universe. She thought.  
  
But the strangest gift yet to come was from Ron. His small clumsy owl, Pig, came whizzing in their dining room while they were having their meal. It was carrying with it a bouquet of white roses (although some were crushed thanks to Pig's awesome flying ability), a box of chocolates and a small box wrapped in red. The small box had a silver necklace on it with a tiny diamond. Her father, upon seeing the roses and chocolates assumed that the gift was from a suitor in Hogwarts and he had already started on his speech. He said something like Hermione could have a boy friend if she wanted to, granted that she still perform in school like she used to. Hermione started laughing hysterically because it wasn't from a suitor. It was from Ron.  
  
She walked barefoot towards her large window. The window sill was wide enough that she could sit on it and watched the world from her window. She lifted her head up and turned her attention to the starry evening sky. She just sat there staring up at the sky, naming constellations she knew. She remembered the time she used to take Divination and she couldn't stand the way Professor Trelawney always connects everything happening with the movement of the stars and planets. She just had to quit that subject. It drove her nuts because she was never one who believed that stars hold everyone's destiny. It's ironic though. She loved the way stars twinkle and symbolize hope. She yawned and she was feeling sluggish already. She stood up and stretched just a little and then she saw him.  
  
Malfoy.  
  
She was sure this time that it was him. He was leaning against the right-side of the Maple tree's trunk smoking his cigarette. There was just this certain way Malfoy leaned against anything that would make him look cool but look incredibly self-centered. Not that he wasn't. You forgot the fact that he looks extremely hot like that. A voice said in her head. She scoffed at what she had just thought of.  
  
"Why the hell is he here?" she asked her voice angry. Was he here to taunt her again? Would he give her a break already? As if she wasn't mocked enough in school already. She looked around her room to see if there was anything in there that could keep her warm. She saw the black cloak draped at the foot of her bed and she grabbed it, wore it and stormed downstairs.  
  
"What in Merlin's name do you want?" she asked him after banging the front door open. She placed both her hands on her waist. Malfoy turned his head slowly to face her in a manner that would make any other girl drool with fascination but made Hermione want to puke her guts out. God, he's so egotistic.  
  
"Keep your voice down Granger. Are you aware that muggles could be sleeping at the moment and your screechy voice can wake anyone up at this ungodly hour?" Malfoy said looking at her. He shrugged his broad shoulders. He wore his typical outfit. All black.  
  
"And what might the respectful boy like you want from me?" she said with her face scowling with irritation.  
  
"What gave you the impression that I wish to see your unsightly face?"  
  
"Because you're here. Just in case you didn't check it says Granger at that metal thing there we muggles call a mailbox. This is my home." She pointed at the mailbox planted on the lawn.  
  
"I didn't come here for you." He said rolling his eyes. He was walking towards her as and he threw away his cigarette. He reached her with just a little space between them. "Must you be so self-conceited?" He said looking down at her. He was tall, about a foot taller than her.  
  
She looked intently into his eyes as he looked at hers. Hermione was now staring at the magnificence of his eyes. And the way that they didn't' show any emotion at all but still remained breathtaking was something that bothered Hermione. And he, he thought her eyes were just normal and dull from afar but they're different especially from a distance this close. They even glimmered in the evening but that was because she was irritated.  
  
"I think you're talking about yourself." She said breaking the momentary silence.  
  
"What I want is that."  
  
"That? What do you mean by that?" she asked.  
  
"My cloak."  
  
"Oh, you mean this is yours?" she asked in surprise. He nodded. She sheepishly began to remove it so that she could return it to Draco but Draco placed his hand on her hand. This sent shivers throughout her body. His hand was extremely cold but it was also because it was Draco's hand on her hand.  
  
"It's cold tonight. Keep it first." He said looking away. He removed his hand. Hermione was now staring at Malfoy and checking if it was the same git she knew. Did he just show an act of kindness to me?  
  
"But it's yours, and you're not wearing anything to keep you warm in a cold weather like this." He just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't really give a shit."  
  
Hermione then asked him if he would like to go inside and for a hot drink regretting it as soon as the words escaped her mouth. He just shrugged as he followed her into her home. She led her to her kitchen. Malfoy tried to keep his hands to himself because he wanted to show Hermione that he didn't care about all the muggle appliances he was now encountering. Even though he would never admit it he was secretly interested over these things. So he walked with his hand in his pockets so that he wouldn't be tempted to touch those objects. Hermione was now asking herself, what she was doing. Letting her best friend's mortal enemy enter her home and she was even the one who offered him. What am I doing? She wondered again.  
  
When they reached the kitchen, Hermione grabbed two mugs. She threw Malfoy's cloak on the countertop behind her. She asked him if he wanted hot chocolate, tea or coffee. He said he just wanted coffee. He looked around the kitchen. It was quite simple. Nothing grand like his in the Malfoy Manor with expensive silver cutlery and kitchen tools. It was a country kitchen with cherry wood glass cabinets with China displayed in them. There were appliances unfamiliar to him and there was also this huge bookcase filled with cookbooks. And on the center of the kitchen was a massive island with a black granite top and on its left were four bar stools.  
  
He started to light a new cigarette.  
  
"Stop smoking Malfoy. This is my home and my parents don't allow anyone to smoke in here. " She told him. She expected a rude remark like 'I'm going to do whatever I want to do where ever I may be' but none of that came from him. Malfoy said nothing. He just crushed the lit cigarette with his hand. If his hand hurt from crushing a lighted cigar, he didn't show it.  
  
She tried to get to his bad side again because this Malfoy was just someone she wasn't used to. They say changes like this are better but she would be driven mad if Malfoy was going to act all civil and pleasant to her throughout the rest of the year. And she couldn't avoid him because they're both Head Boy and Head Girl.  
  
"I meant my first statement. You should stop smoking. It could kill you." She said mixing Malfoy's coffee at the island. She waited for a rude remark but none of it came. He didn't even laugh or made a face. He just stood there staring at her.  
  
"Okay." Then he sat down at one of the barstools.  
  
Okay? Okay! Is that thing there even Malfoy? Malfoy never says okay. He always says 'fuck off' or 'leave me alone' but never okay. He never agrees with anything anyone says. She thought. She used her wand and made both mugs be filled with hot water instead of warm water.  
  
"Are you're parents home?" he asked her. He looked into her eyes once again.  
  
"Yeah. They're asleep at the moment."  
  
"I should leave."  
  
"No, it's alright. I told you they're asleep." She bit her tongue after saying that. She had just asked Malfoy to stay. Now he must think I secretly desire him. Gross. Do I? I know I don't. But even if she said that, she wasn't sure.  
  
"Here." She said handing the mug filled with coffee to him. She sat down on the stool beside him and started drinking her tea. She drank it in silence. Malfoy didn't touch his. He just stared at the granite surface of the island.  
  
"Soo.. How did I even get a hold of your cloak?" she asked breaking the deafening silence.  
  
"I gave it to you before after I saved you from him." he said. He finally took a sip of his coffee.  
  
"You saved me?" she asked filled with disbelief. She turned to face him. Was she really hearing words like this from the stuck-up Draco?  
  
He only nodded. What's she so surprised for? It's not like I go around killing people. Tainting my hands with blood isn't exactly my cup of tea. He thought.  
  
"But... but... how?" she was still looking at the boy seated next to her. He's aware that she's looking at him but he does not turn to face her.  
  
"I was walking down this unfamiliar street and I see you. A man was on top of you. I believed that you were being robbed and you had fainted so I came and did you a favor." He explained. He fabricated his own simple story and left out the parts were his mother and father are included. Including them would mean more questions from Hermione. He also left out the parts where he took care of her in ways he cannot believe he did.  
  
Hermione was amazed that the Malfoy sitting next to her; a boy who made her best friends' and her life desolate in Hogwarts is the very same man who actually saved her. She was staring at him wide-eyed still shocked.  
  
"It's not that big a deal Granger. Stop staring at me." He said turning to face her. His hair was untidy and a blonde lock of hair fell on his eyes. His gaze was steady and his eyes were striking. Hermione thought he looked stunning but like what she did earlier, she brushed the thought away.  
  
But she still blushed. And she had only noticed now that he had stopped calling her mudblood or any of those filthy names he called her. He now called her Granger, still not Hermione but better than those names.  
  
"Granger?" he waved his hand in her face.  
  
"Huh?" she asked confused. She was busy thinking about the changes in Draco.  
  
"I just asked you a question."  
  
"Oh you did? What was it?"  
  
"I asked you if you knew a book entitled 'A Farewell to Arms'." Shit, lame topic. Draco thought.  
  
"Yes. I have read it before. I reckon it's one of the best books in this world." She said her eyes twinkling. They remind me of stars. Draco thought. "Why are you asking? And why have you read a muggle book?"  
  
"Because I've read it too." He smiled a half smile. He just smiled. A smile. Not a smirk. A smile. No malice with it. Has the world gone zany? She thought. And he smiled to me. The voice added. She frowned at the idea that she was joyful about Malfoy smiling at her.  
  
"And the part on why I read the muggle book. I just read it." he said frowning slightly. Actually he had read it because it was the book that one of his father's victims were reading before he was murdered. He had gone with his father and before the man could grab his wand from the table nearby, he was dead. His father told him that the man betrayed them but ha had not expounded on the reason more. Draco got the book and read it.  
  
They continued talking about anything that interested both of them. Hermione even opened a bag of chips and she giggled because Draco stared at it. Maybe he thought the puffed chips were poisonous or something because he hesitated to eat it. She told him not to worry because they tasted really good, even if they weren't healthy. And one bag of chips weren't enough. They ate while they talked. They didn't laugh. They didn't give foul comments. They just conversed but it was enough for the both of them to change their opinions on either one's personality. Malfoy changed his opinion on Hermione being a know-it- all because she wasn't. He knew a lot of facts that she didn't. Hermione also changed her opinion. She somehow saw Draco in a different light. He wasn't as half bad and as rude as he used to be. They were having their first real conversation after so many years of knowing and loathing each other.  
  
Though they did not notice it and would never have admitted it anyway; they were both enjoying each other's company.  
  
"What time is it?" Draco suddenly asked.  
  
She looked at the cuckoo clock positioned above the refrigerator. "4:20 am."  
  
Draco stood up and he walked out of the kitchen, Hermione following him. He reached the door and he turned around as he faced Hermione.  
  
"Merry Christmas." he said. He didn't smile and he didn't seem merry at all. He reached out and touched her cheek. It felt smooth and soft. This too sent shivers through Hermione's body. Then he apparated.  
  
Hermione frowned. "Did he just apparate? I didn't know he could do that." She touched the place on her cheek that Draco touched and she smiled.  
  
And then she remembered that Draco forgot to give him his cloak. Damn. She went back to the kitchen to clean up then she went back to her room carrying the cloak with her.  
  
Then she did something she knew she shouldn't have done. She smelt the cloak and this time, it did not smell like sweat or blood. She thought that it smelled like Draco.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Exactly a week before school, Hermione received a letter from her best friends. It said:  
  
Dearest Hermione,  
  
How are you? We hope that you're more than fine. Our trip to Holland was great! As promised, we saw the dragons. They're extremely huge. Larger the one's Harry had to face in the Tournament in his 4th year. But the one's we saw seem to be tamer. But even if that's the case, one dragon still felt like smushing humans. Glad it didn't and the men (that's us me, and Harry along with my brothers) got to tie it down before it stomped us. But it could still have been better with you around.  
  
Would you like to spend sometime together with us in Diagon Alley? Before school starts? After all you weren't permitted by your parents for Holland. There's a big possibility that you could go this time. I mean you have to! We miss you soooooooooooooooo much.  
  
Love lots, Ron, Harry and Gin  
  
And just like what they presumed, Hermione was allowed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The four friends tapped the brick wall behind the Leaky Cauldron, three times up and two across and they found themselves in their destination.  
  
"Who's up for some ice cream?" Harry asked his friends as soon as they stepped into the Diagon Alley. "My treat." He added. With the sound of 'my treat' everyone's face lit up.  
  
"Sure." Hermione said smiling. They made their way Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.  
  
She was so glad to be with her friends again. She intended to make this day a day where she would worry about nothing. Just enjoy her the day with her friends who she missed so much over the winter break. They arrived at the parlor and they sat down on a chair and ordered some ice cream. They all ordered huge sundaes with equally huge helpings of hot fudge drizzled over the sundae. Within 5 minutes, a lady served them their sundaes.  
  
"So what did happen in Holland?" she asked her three friends.  
  
"Oh nothing much. Just dragons. I had this feeling that if you came, you would have been bored to death, like me." Ginny announced. She toyed with her sundae. And she spelled Harry's name with her teaspoon on one of the lumps of ice cream. Good thing she was sitting beside Hermione because her secret was safe with her and so that Harry wouldn't know. She eventually ate a spoonful of that lump of ice cream where Harry's name was once written.  
  
"Aaand someone made a confession to me." Harry said. He looked at Ron who had devoured half of his sundae. His ears turned pink and he stopped eating momentarily. Then coming to his senses, he stepped on Harry's foot under the table.  
  
"Ouch!!" Harry yelped in pain.  
  
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked. She had already started eating her sundae.  
  
"I will be if Ron stops stepping on my foot." Harry said. "And it's not helping that he's wearing rubber shoes. I'm just wearing canvas sneakers."  
  
"Ronald Weasley. Stop stepping on our best friend's foot." Reprimanded Hermione. She sounded like Ron's mother. With Hermione's order, Ron's ears turned red, maybe orange because its color almost matched his hair color. He stopped stepping on Harry's foot. Harry who was grateful but was still pained a little winked at Hermione.  
  
"What's the wink for?" Hermione asked pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. Harry just shook his head with a grin on his face. He continued eating his chocolate sundae.  
  
"Is there something that I do not know but I surely need to know?" Hermione asked. She was more than puzzled now. Ron's face started flushing now.  
  
"I say that that confession was that my dear brother fancies someone, what do you think Hermione?" Ginny interrupted. Ron was a shade of deep red now and he just looked at his sundae. He gripped his teaspoon hard. Harry, you just wait. I'll kill you for this. Ron thought.  
  
"So it is true." Ginny grinned evilly. She wanted to make her suffer because this served as revenge for all the times he humiliated her in front of Harry. Ha!! She thought. And she was also wanted to know who it was.  
  
Hermione found herself interested. "Oh so that's the something that I don't know. Come on Ron, tell me who it is. I am your best friend after all." Hermione placed her elbows on the tabled in an upright position and rested her chin there. "Go on. I'm all ears." She said smiling at him.  
  
Ron looked up at the smiling Hermione but he quickly looked down and stared at his sundae again.  
  
"Come on bro, tell us." Ginny said urging his brother. She had finished her sundae and she called the waitress for another serving. You can't blame the girl for having a huge appetite for sweets.  
  
"Hey Hermione," Harry swallowed the ice cream in his mouth before finishing his sentence because he sounded muffled with his mouth full. "I heard the Flourish and Blotts have a bunch of new books to be released just today."  
  
At the sound of 'books', Hermione fell into Harry's trap. "Really? Could we go after this? I might need a few more references for school."  
  
"Sure." He said.  
  
"We're not going anywhere until Hermione and I know who my brother fancies. Don't try on changing the subject Harry." Ginny said still staring at her brother.  
  
"You know, I really think you should go now. I hear the book is really helpful. It could be sold out even before you get there." Harry tried again.  
  
"Can we go now please?" Hermione asked. One of her weaknesses is books.  
  
"Ginny, could you kindly go with Hermione." Harry asked.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere till I learn who it is."  
  
"Please." He pleaded.  
  
Ginny looked at Harry. He looks so adorable just like that. Wrinkling his forehead while pleading to me. To me! She thought.  
  
"Fine. We'll go now. But what about the sundae I just ordered?" Ginny said.  
  
"Ron will have the appetite for that."  
  
When the girl's had already gone. Ron punched Harry on the shoulder.  
  
"What's that for?"  
  
"For almost letting my secret out."  
  
"But I did fix the mess." Harry said stroking his shoulder.  
  
Ron said nothing. He finished his melted sundae. The waitress placed Ginny's sundae and Ron devoured this one as well.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I didn't know you still liked Harry." Hermione said. Her arm was entwined into Ginny's.  
  
"I never did fall out of it. I just wish he'd like me back." She sighed.  
  
"Don't worry. He'll come to his senses soon enough." she said reassuring Ginny. She smiled at her.  
  
They were outside Flourish and Blotts already. The girls were engaged in a conversation and Hermione already outstretched her hand to open the door. To her surprise, Draco came out of the door before she got to open it with Pansy Parkinson who clung to him like some leech. The four students stopped and looked at each other. Draco looked at Hermione eyes and she looked at his as well.  
  
"If it isn't the maggot himself. What a way to ruin this day." Ginny said. She looked at Pansy with resentment. Slut. She thought.  
  
Draco didn't say anything. He just continued looking at Hermione.  
  
"Draco poochy, that Weasley girl just insulted you. Aren't you going to say something?" Pansy said. She tugged at his sleeve.  
  
Hermione broke away from the stare and looked at her feet. If she didn't stop looking at his eyes, she could have been staring at him for forever. She didn't want Ginny see that.  
  
"Hey." She whispered in a whisper so soft that she wondered if Draco even heard it. He snorted. He did hear it. She looked up again, back into his eyes. Draco was smirking really slyly. Without even saying a word, he dragged Pansy with him of to another shop in the Diagon Alley. Hermione stayed there staring of to outer space.  
  
"What's that about?" Ginny asked. She followed Draco and Pansy with her eyes until she lost them to the crowd. "Mione, are you alright. You look bothered."  
  
Hermione said nothing but she did smile at Ginny. Then they entered the bookstore together.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Harry you liar, you said there were a new stock of books in the shop but there weren't." Ginny said at Harry. The four of them were together again and they were sitting outside one of the small restaurants in the Diagon Alley. It seems like all they did today was to hangout at restaurants and eat.  
  
"I told you if that if you didn't get there soon enough they would be sold out quickly."  
  
"We asked the person in charge, Harry. She said there were no new books to be sold. The newest are over a month old." Ginny said.  
  
"I guess my connections are wrong then." Harry said. He looked at Ron and he grinned. Ron grinned back.  
  
"I knew it! It was just a plan of you guys so that you could get rid of us. That way, we wouldn't know who Ron likes." Ginny said. She crossed her arms on her chest.  
  
"Oh come one Ginny. It's not what you think." Ron said sipping his butterbeer.  
  
"Whatever." She said. "You let Hermione's hope go up and you brought it down when she knew that such books didn't exist. You know how much she loves reading and books, right Hermione?"  
  
"Huh? Uh, no not really it's not that big a deal." She said softly. Her thoughts were occupied by what happened outside the bookstore.  
  
Ginny sank deeper into her chair. She had lost the fight. She pursed her lips.  
  
"Are you alright Hermione?" Harry asked. He noticed that she had been quiet ever since Ginny and she came back from the bookstore. Maybe he did offend her by his white lie about the books but he didn't know that he offended her that much.  
  
"Yes I'm fine." She stood up. She smiled a little. "I'm just going to get this refilled." She said holding up her glass. It was more than halfway full. "Anyone want refills too?" she offered. Ginny held up her glass and so did Ron. She took it both and made her way in the restaurant.  
  
She could have made the waitress refill it for them but she needed time alone to think. But about what? Malfoy. She thought irritated. What a git. He completely ignored me. She reached the bar and asked the man to refill it for her. Just then, a boy asked for his glass to be refilled too.  
  
"Refill." He said. Hermione recognized the voice and she glanced sideways to make sure. It was Draco. The man took the glasses and went away.  
  
"Hey." Draco said. Hermione didn't reply. Who does he think he is? And he thinks he has the right to greet me after ignoring me? Asswipe. She thought.  
  
When she didn't reply Draco looked at Hermione's side view. He just stared at her with her hair falling reaching her shoulders and coiling there. He noticed that her hair wasn't as shriveled anymore. It was a little straighter now and had elegant waves. Thanks to Ginny's shampoo that worked. He resisted the urge to touch her hair. He had already failed on controlling himself before because he touched her face before.  
  
She looked magical even if she was frowning.  
  
The man came back with four glasses of refilled butterbeer.  
  
Hermione gathered her three glasses and turned her back to Malfoy. She started walking and she stopped. She couldn't resist it.  
  
"Hey." She said and she continued walking after.  
  
Draco watched her until she laws outside already. He ran his hands through his hair and he got his glass. He gulped all of its contents down and asked for it to be refilled again.  
  
. 


	4. Life with the Ogre

Disclaimer: plot only  
  
Chapter 4: Life with the Ogre  
  
"Always take care honey." Mrs. Granger told her daughter. She hugged her tight.  
  
"Yes mom, don't worry. I will. I'm not a little girl anymore." Hermione returned the hug.  
  
"Remember, don't stress yourself too much. What's important is that you're happy." Her father told her.  
  
She smiled. "Sure." But it was absolutely impossible to not be stressed. Holidays are over and it's back to school again. It's already halfway through her final year in Hogwarts and the dreaded NEWTs will take place in just a few months. Being the perfectionist she is she just has to ace those tests. Even if that would mean sleepless nights resulting to frequent mood swings.  
  
"Goodbye mother! Goodbye father!"  
  
She pushed her cart into the wall that would take her to platform 9 ¾. She was soon greeted by the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts students everywhere bidding goodbyes or making sure they have everything they needed.  
  
"Watch out miss!"  
  
Hermione faced left just when a hard bound book hit her in the head making her fall to the ground with a loud thud. The book seemed to be enchanted and a boy in his first year was chasing it. He stopped for a while to mumble a sincere sorry to Hermione but had to continue chasing the book because it had victimized other people as well.  
  
"Oh for crying out loud." A familiar voice from a distance said. "Must you be so feeble?" Hermione raised her head. It was Draco and he was sneering at her. 'He's back to his normal self then. Not weird like last Christmas. It's a pity. I kind off liked him like that'  
  
"Well I'm sorry for being feeble." She said with a sarcastic emphasis on the word feeble.  
  
"The Head Girl caught off-guard by a flying book. How funny." He stared down at her. 'Why did I even think that he could have changed?' She thought.  
  
Hermione stood up when a pang of pain throbbed in her head. It was caused by the book. This made her loose her balance. Draco caught her on her shoulders and helped her to stand up straight. Hermione was surprised with this action. Just then a voice shouted once again.  
  
"Look out!!" The book seemed to be headed their way again and before it could hit Hermione in the face once again, Draco, with his swift hands caught the book and threw it on the floor. A few people had gathered to see what the commotion was all about. He stepped on the book so that it wouldn't fly away again.  
  
"I am so sorry sir." Started the trembling boy. It was obvious that he feared Draco. He even called him sir.  
  
"To which house do you belong to?" Draco asked.  
  
"Hufflepuff sir."  
  
Draco got the wriggling book from his feet and held it tight with one hand. "Do you know what this is?" he asked the boy while pointing at his Head Boy badge with his free hand.  
  
"Yes sir. It's a Head boy badge."  
  
"Perfect. That's 10 points from the Hufflepuff house. Now here's your book. Hold it tight to your chest. I don't care if you might fly with your book but I don't want it hitting other people once again. If it does, more points of the Hufflepuff again. Got that?"  
  
"Ye-e-ess sir-r-r" he said trembling with fear. He held the book close to his chest and seemed to be concentrating hard. He didn't want to let go of the wriggling book in his hands. Draco left with his hands in his pockets and Hermione shook her head. 'He's definitely back' she thought sadly.  
  
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked the boy as she walked towards him. The small crowd that had gathered went back to their own businesses. The boy suddenly shrieked when he saw the glittering Head Girl badge pinned on Hermione's chest.  
  
"Good gracious! I hit a Head Girl too." the boy cried out almost losing his grip from the enchanted book.  
  
"No, no, no. It's okay. My head just hurts a little. Here." She offered asking him to hand her the book. He did this with great difficulty but eventually managed to hand Hermione the book. Hermione was then taken by surprise since the book was quite heavy and it kept resisting to stay still. How could have Draco held this book firmly with just one hand? She couldn't help but question herself. She muttered a spell that brought back the book to its original state.  
  
"Thank you so much. I'm so so sorry my book hit you real hard." He shouted after leaving.  
  
Hermione smiled. She gathered up her belongings left on the floor and made her way through the crowd. She felt a light tap on her shoulder and she turned around and saw Harry standing there with a wide smile on his face.  
  
"Hermione!" he shouted and threw his hands in the air to hug her. "Missed you so much." He said.  
  
"Me too. Where's Ron and Ginny?" she asked after letting go of the quick hug.  
  
"Right here." Ginny said. Ron stood beside her.  
  
"Ginny! Ron!" Hermione gave Ginny a quick hug and turned to Ron to hug him. Harry nudged Ron's elbow and gave him a grin. This made Ron turn red again. Harry ended up chuckling really hard.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Hermione asked after she let go of Ron.  
  
"Why don't you ask Ron." he replied while clutching his stomach.  
  
"Oh do shut up will you!" Ron said irritated.  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Boys will be boys. Come, I'll help you put your belongings in your Head Boy/Girl compartment."  
  
"Sure." Hermione said. She was extremely happy to be in the presence of her closest friends again. "I'll stay in your compartment first since there's a blonde haired ogre in mine." She suggested with a wink. Ginny laughed since she knew that Hermione was talking about Draco.  
  
The four friends stepped up the train actually happy to go back to school again.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Hermione slammed her book closed because of frustration. Harry and Ron had been gibbering about Quiditch for the past hour and the subject matter didn't really interest her that much. And she had grown tired of reading her school books, again. Ginny had gone off with her sixth year friends and going back to her compartment meant seeing Draco. She didn't really want to deal with him right now. She stood up and smoothed her robes.  
  
"Where you going?" Harry asked.  
  
"I just need some fresh air." She said and smiled at them. Instantly the boys fell back to their conversation about Quiditch. She sighed. She slid out of the compartment and started walking to the end of the train. But the door was locked magically.  
  
"Aargh!" she said frustrated. She didn't feel like using a spell to break the lock off so she just stomped off to her compartment. She thought that maybe Draco was not there and instead, out with Crabbe and Goyle tormenting other students since he had the 'power'.  
  
Her guess was right. Draco wasn't in their compartment. He was right there leaning on the door of the compartment, laughing sinisterly with Crabbe and Goyle. The two big oafs were pigging out with some chocolate. Hermione rolled her eyes with disgust. When her presence was felt by the bullies, they all fell silent and Hermione felt their eyes watching her. She reached the front of her compartment but Draco was leaning on the door making her unable to enter her compartment.  
  
"Move.'" she said coldly.  
  
"Why should I?" he sneered. He crossed his arms on his chest.  
  
"I said move. You must be deaf if you didn't hear that."  
  
"Nobody calls our boss deaf." Crabbe said from behind.  
  
"Yeah." Goyle said nodding his head.  
  
"If there's anyone who's dumb, it should be you."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Will you come up with your own thing to say?" Crabbe roared as he punched Goyle in the face. The big stupid oafs exchanged punches on one another.  
  
"Stop it you mindless beings." Draco said. At once, they stopped. They had bloody noses and swollen faces all because of a stupid argument.  
  
"That's ten points off the Slytherin house. No fighting allowed." Hermione said triumphantly. She was still after all, the Head Girl.  
  
"God, both of you are dim-witted." Draco shouted. He wasn't leaning on the door anymore and seeing this Hermione quickly slid open the door and almost got in if Draco didn't stop her. He held her hand and she turned to give him a menacing glare.  
  
"I'm not through with you yet." he said staring deep into her brown eyes now big and twinkling with anger. She stared back. She couldn't resist it. His eyes were the only thing that she didn't find repulsing. They seemed to change color from time to time. She remembered them as silver but they're a deep blue now. As blue as the skies could be.  
  
"Let go of me." She commanded.  
  
"Make me."  
  
They continued glaring at each other. In fact the intensity that exuded from them made the two other boys, namely Crabbe and Goyle, speechless.  
  
"Fine." She said breaking the silence. She kicked him in the crotch and that left Draco yelping in pain like a little boy. "And I didn't have to use a wand for that."  
  
Crabbe and Goyle was just about to lunge at Hermione when Draco said under gritted teeth. "Don't. I'll take care of her."  
  
"Sure, you will. I'm shivering." She said sarcastically. With that, she closed the door, locked it and sat down at her side of the compartment. She opened her bag so that she could reread her school books when she remembered that she left them in Harry and Ron's compartment.  
  
She sighed. She rummaged her bag for anything that could save her for boredom and she stumbled upon a cloak: Draco's cloak. She took it out of the bag and stared at it. She shrugged and decided to take a nap.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"That little bitch. What do you want us to do boss?" Goyle asked. Crabbe offered to help Draco up but Draco pushed him away.  
  
"I can manage." He said pertaining to Crabbe. "Didn't I tell you that I'll take care of her or were you just deaf as always?"  
  
"Sorry boss. Didn't mean that."  
  
"Go back to you're compartments and for God's sakes, fix your faces." He ordered. There faces were truly horrible. There were blood clots hanging from their noses and a bruises everywhere. But they followed what Draco had said. He turned his attention back to Hermione. He was filled with anger for her because of how he was humiliated. He opened the door and noticed that it was locked.  
  
"Shit!" he said. He left his wand inside so he could not use magic to open the door. He feared no one and didn't think he'd need a wand having the power that a Head Boy has.  
  
"Mudblood. Open this door now." he called out. No answer.  
  
"Mudblood!" he screamed even louder. 'This is pointless.' He kicked at the door once and then again to force it open. It did open and fell on the floor. Hermione awoke with a jump.  
  
"What did you do that for?" she asked as soon as she saw the door. Draco walked calmly to his bag and opened the side pocket. He took out his wand.  
  
"This---" he said holding up his wand. "---is what a wand is for." He muttered a spell that fixed the door and made it good as new. Hermione cocked her eyebrow.  
  
"Listen now Ferret Boy. I asked you why you did what you did not what a wand is for." She said. He only shrugged and slouched on his seat. Hermione was still staring at him with utter hate.  
  
"Oh I see now." he said slyly. "You fancy me. That's why you can't keep your pretty little eyes off me."  
  
"I do not!" Hermione shouted standing up.  
  
"You don't have to be so defensive. That just makes my suspicions worse." Then he chuckled wickedly.  
  
Hermione sat down and crossed her arms. She held the cloak and threw it Draco hoping that it would hit him smack on the face. But because of his toned muscles because of years of training for Quiditch, he caught it in the air.  
  
"Thanks." She said tonelessly. She didn't know if Draco knew what she was thanking him for but she didn't care. At least now, that filthy cloak is back to its filthy owner.  
  
Draco snorted and just like that. He forgot about his plot for revenge.  
  
For now.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They arrived at Hogwarts and Hermione reunites with Ron and Harry since she forgot her books in their compartment. But she had to leave again because she had to make sure that the younger students could get to their quarters.  
  
After the students were settled, there was a feast later on so every student was supposed to head directly to the Great Hall. Being the Head Boy and Head Girl, Draco and Hermione got to their living quarters last because of their duties. Strangely, they didn't exchange insults or even a word to one another. They just unpacked their belongings.  
  
Hermione was first to finish, she didn't know what her reasons were but she decided to wait for Draco. She sat down by the crackling fire and waited for him there. But after 10 minutes, she grew impatient.  
  
"What's taking him so long? There's going to be no food left if he doesn't come out soon." She said angrily.  
  
She walked to his bedroom door and knocked. "Malfoy?" There was no answer but she decided to walk in anyway since the door wasn't locked. The fireplace wasn't lighted and that made the room very cold. She lifted her wand to light the fireplace.  
  
"What do you think you're doing mudblood?" Draco said coldly from behind. Hermione's wand fell to the carpeted floor because she was surprised.  
  
She faced him and said "I was just ---"but she stopped because of the sight that was in front of her. Draco was dripping wet and he had just taken a bath. He was just wearing a towel wrapped around his torso making his chest bare. And Hermione could see the features that mold his body. There had been other scenes like this last year and she had always looked at him with repulsion for that. She should be used to him walking around half-naked but she didn't know why she was acting like this right now.  
  
Draco tilted his head to the left and snickered. "Like what you see Granger?"  
  
Hermione crossed her arms and finished her sentence. "I just thought that I should light the hearth since it's dead cold in here."  
  
Draco snorted. "It's my room. Back off." He walked to his drawer and Hermione's eyes followed his every move. Just then he took his towel off and threw it to the couch.  
  
"What the hell!" Hermione ejaculated as she covered her eyes.  
  
Draco just laughed his head off. "Told you that it's my room. What's the matter Granger? Never seen a man's unclothed body before?" and he laughed even more.  
  
"Shut up." Hermione scowled kneeling down to get her wand with one hand since the other hand was covering her eyes. Draco looked at Hermione on the floor and shook his head.  
  
"I can't believe you could even manage to bathe when you knew very well that there's a feast downstairs and we're already late." She said angrily.  
  
She still struggled to look for her wand. He put on some clothes and knelt down beside Hermione. He reached for her wand a few steps ahead Hermione and handed it to her. Hermione was again surprised by this act of 'kindness'. Then he stood up.  
  
"Are you still in the nude?" Hermione asked still refusing to uncover her eyes. "I swear if you plan to do anything to me I'll slaughter you." She slowly stood up.  
  
"Yeah sure, whatever you say Granger." He put on his robe and walked out the door.  
  
"Malfoy?" she asked. She uncovered her eyes and Draco wasn't in the room anymore.  
  
"That stupid git!" she screamed and stomped out of the room to follow Draco.  
  
"Boo."  
  
"Aaah!" Hermione shrieked. Draco had just been outside the door and he decided to play a trick on her. He sneered at her and started walking out of their quarters. Hermione frowned the whole time as she followed Draco down the stone steps and pass the empty corridors to the Great Hall.  
  
When they reached the Great Hall, they parted as if they didn't come down together and went straight to their house tables. Hermione was greeted with a warm welcome from her housemates. She looked at Draco and he was greeted by his housemates as well, especially by Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini.  
  
"Sluts." She found herself saying. Draco saw this and he raised his eyebrows. He gave Pansy a passionate kiss and he seemed to do it to annoy Hermione.  
  
When they finished, Draco looked at Hermione to see her reaction and she mouthed Fuck You to him very slowly. Draco frowned with this and he watched Hermione rejoin with Potthead and Weasel.  
  
"Oh Draco, I knew you missed me." Pansy said her eyes still dazzling from the kiss Draco gave her. He looked at her with disgust and walked down to his seat Pansy clinging to him like some madwoman.  
  
"What took you so long?" Harry asked. "Ron had already eaten everything in sight."  
  
"I have not." Ron argued with two pieces of chicken legs in his hand and a plate filled with mashed potatoes and other sinful sidings.  
  
"A blonde ogre wasted my time." Hermione replied.  
  
With that, the three best friends laughed and Hermione started eating to her hearts content.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
A sleeping Draco was suddenly awoken by a splash of ice cold water on his face.  
  
"What the fuck?" he said abruptly sitting upright. He scanned his room and a figure was standing in front of him. He wiped the water of his face with his right arm.  
  
"Double Potions Malfoy. Felt like doing you a favor. It's been over a week and you still forget about Double Potions first thing during Thursday mornings."  
  
He knew who it was. "A very warm thank you then Granger." He replied mockingly. His vision became clearer and he saw Hermione standing before him.  
  
Hermione left his room and rushed down the stone staircase to the dungeons. She opened the door and greeted the professor, Professor Snape, a pleasant good morning. She was about to sit down to her seat next to Parvati Patil.  
  
"It's nice of you to decide to join us." he said darkly. His voice was truly terrible. It sounded like an ungreased machine that still insisted to work.  
  
"But professor, according to my watch I am only a minute late." She argued.  
  
"Exactly. The words came straight from your mouth. You're late, even if it's only for a minute. And to top it all you're the Head Girl. Don't you think you should be more responsible, eh?" he said.  
  
"Professor Snape, must we continue to argue about a silly thing? I think we're wasting precious time." Harry said standing up.  
  
"Yes Professor. I certainly agree." Ron said nodding his head. He stood up too.  
  
"My, my. It's Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley to the rescue again." He said walking towards them. "Let me tell you one important thing and I want you to remember it. My class, Potter and Weasley. My class." He stared intently into Harry's green eyes and then to Ron's hazel ones.  
  
"Mr. Potter's right though." Snape said facing his whole class. "We've wasted time and since he doesn't want to continue this, that's 20 points off Gryffindor. 5 for Ms. Granger being a single minute late, 5 for Mr. Potter who stuck his nose in a business that didn't concern him, another 5 for Mr. Weasley for arguing with me and the other 5 would be because of this migraine you three have given me so early in the morning."  
  
Snape smiled evilly and Hermione looked back at Harry and Ron and mouthed a thank you and smiled sheepishly. The two boys smiled back and they all sat down. Harry whispered 'no problem'  
  
Snape finally did begin his classes and as usual, Hermione seemed like his only student. All of them were still sleepy or maybe because they just didn't bother to study.  
  
"Good Morning Professor." Draco greeted their professor when he came in the dungeons. He was twenty minutes late. It seemed like he even took his time to take a bath because his hair was still wet and clung to his head messily. He brushed most of them off his face. Girls squirmed with delight except for Hermione who felt like she needed to puke.  
  
"Why are you late Mr. Malfoy? Are you aware that you're Head Boy and must serve as a good example for all of the students gathered here?" Snape asked.  
  
"As you know professor, my room is quite far from all the classrooms so it took me sometime to get down here. To add to that, I have some cramps on my feet so that slowed me down even more. I wanted to go to Madame Pomfrey but I did not dare do so since Potions is my favorite subject and I'd miss it if I asked her to check on my foot."  
  
"Sounds like a good fabricated excuse. I do like the part that Potions is your favorite subject. You may take your seat Malfoy." Snape said. "Now I will continue with explaining the Kleidemos potion to be passed today."  
  
"I can't believe it! The git's over 15 minutes late and he doesn't get punished." Harry whispered under his breath to Ron.  
  
"Yeah mate. He even said that he knew that Malfoy came up with a silly excuse but he still accepted it because Ferret boy said that he loved Potions." Ron hissed.  
  
"It's totally unfair but we can't do anything bout it." Harry said. He sighed.  
  
"The potion you are to make is called Kleidemos. Judging from the name, you could say that it originated in?" the professor continued.  
  
Hermione's hand raised straight up in the air immediately. "Anyone here at all?" Snape asked ignoring Hermione's hand.  
  
Draco stood up even if he wasn't called to answer. "It originated in Greece named after the great warrior Kleidemos, son of Aristarkhos, Klemenoid. He was called a wolf and because of that, the Kleidemos potion is said to be able to give any human being the agility of a wolf. That is if, he could take it. Some have become nuts after taking the potion and some have been said to have died right after taking the potion."  
  
"Perfect. 10 points for Slytherin." Snape said. Hermione shot an evil glare to Professor Snape. 'I was first you moron.' She thought.  
  
"Just like what Mr. Malfoy said, the potion is very dangerous and a lot of great warriors driven by their greed to be stronger had died because of this potion. Naturally, if I decide to make you create this potion, I believe that there wouldn't be a single soul brave enough to test each potion so I will only teach you how to make stage one of this potion. Stage one's results wouldn't be as effective as stage three's would be, but the result wouldn't be as fatal either."  
  
"May we know why we need to make this potion?" Seamus Finnigan asked raising his hand up in the air.  
  
"For muggles, the only effect this potion can give is the speed and agility of a wolf but for us wizards, we could be given the power to think like a wolf. Meaning, we would be swifter, brighter, more ingenious, and deadly. Performing spells and charms would be like a walk in the park."  
  
"I've read that this potion is one practiced by the ones who have fallen into the Darkness. Why teach it to us?" questioned one of the Gryffindors.  
  
"It is not I who asked to have this potion made by you. It was Professor Dumbledore himself who requested this."  
  
"The old man must have gone nuts." Someone said from the Slytherins. A laugh erupted from them.  
  
"It is you who have gone nuts." Snape said darkly to the young boy. He had now held high respect for Dumbledore ever since Harry's fifth year. He look fiercely at the boy.  
  
"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore must have a good reason for this." Hermione said aloud. 'But tell me Professor Snape, I have read before that this potion has 4 stages. Why have you said that there are only 3 stages?" she asked. Snape's face became paler than it already was.  
  
"You are dumb after all Granger." Draco said. This made Ron rise to his feet.  
  
"She is not dumb! She's smarter than you." He shouted.  
  
Draco completely ignored him. "The Kleidemos potion has been banned for years but since the Dark Lord has risen once again and stronger than ever, it had to be put back to use so that wizards can protect themselves. But the completion of the Potion, that includes the fourth stage, is still banned and will be forever banned. That is for the reason that the critical ingredient is a ---"  
  
"That is enough!" Snape bellowed. "I will only teach you until stage three and I do not care if you're not satisfied by that. Do not try to look for this potion in the Library because as one of you have said before, it is considered as Dark Magic before but only put to use a little over a year ago by the Ministry of Magic. The book containing the procedure of the Kleidemos potion would be in the restricted section."  
  
With the tone that Snape used, it was clear to everyone that the discussion of the final stage of the Kleidemos potion is over. He spent the rest of the first half of the period to explain everything clearly and the remaining time was used for making the potion. They were paired with the way that they were seated so Hermione was paired with Parvati and Harry with Ron. Everyone pitied Seamus for he was partnered with Neville.  
  
"Now listen, a portion of the potion would be placed in a flask and submitted to me by 9 pm sharp this evening. That is because you have to let the potion sit for 2 hours without touching it before the sun sets. After that, stir it to the right 5 times then immediately seal it. No testing shall be done by you. It will be done by me. No late potions are accepted." Snape finished and he gathered his belongings and left the dungeons.  
  
"Goodbye and thank you Professor Snape." the class said in chorus.  
  
Snape rushed to Dumbledore's office without looking at any of the students he passed by. He looked deeply troubled because of his paler skin and the sweat dripping from his forehead. He muttered the password, goat gummy bears, and entered the office.  
  
"Professor, I'm not sure if I should continue teaching them the potion. It is deadly." Snape said as soon as he had entered the office.  
  
"You haven't even greeted the headmaster yet." a painting that had the face of one of Hogwarts' past headmasters told Snape.  
  
"My apologies. Good morning sir." Snape said bowing his head a little bit to show respect.  
  
"Why do you say so?" Dumbledore said. He was still wearing what seemed to be his nightgown and a wizard's hat with a huge crescent decorating it. He entwined his fingers and rested his chin on them.  
  
"Because it is dangerous. Filled with malevolence. Evil." He replied.  
  
"I have told you to read about Kleidemos' life. Correct me if I am wrong." The headmaster said with his eyes twinkling.  
  
"Yes you have."  
  
"Tell me what have you learned?"  
  
"Well Kleidemos was called the wolf by the Helots, slaves of the Spartans. He had two names, the other would be Talos given to him by a man who he called grandfather who was actually the one who saved him when he was only an infant. He was lame in one leg but because of Kritolaos, his grandfather, he was turned into a great warrior."  
  
"You said that he is great and because of that, the potion named after a great man could never be cursed."  
  
"But sir the critical ingredient makes it cursed. That's why it was banned in the first place."  
  
"Do you know that it is Antinea, his wife, who made this potion? She intended to make it for her son who had a high fever and no chance of surviving. She made it out of love and she even sacrificed a part of herself for him."  
  
"You mean -"  
  
"I mean what I mean professor Snape. The Kleidemos potion would serve as a great weapon of justice even if its effects aren't permanent. This potion, even if it uses a banned ingredient will only work if done out of love. Without love, it would fail." He paused. "Is there anything else you need to know?"  
  
"But then that would mean that the critical ingredient would be love. And what use would teaching this potion to our students be if death is a part of it?" Snape asked  
  
"I'll leave that for you to understand." Dumbledore said with his eyes twinkling.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I hate you. I hate you. I hate you." Hermione kept on repeating and repeating to herself. She was talking about Parvati Patil since the girl ran off with one of her boys again. That meant that Hermione would have to do the potion all by herself but Parvati would be receiving the same grade as she did. Parvati just told her that she'd surely return the favor someday with a wink.  
  
"It is so unfair!" she said holding the small cauldron she had carried up to her quarters.  
  
"Boo."  
  
"Aaah!" Hermione screamed out of surprise. This time she screamed louder and longer. A hand cupped her mouth and someone whispered to her ear. "God you're dumb." The hot breath tickled her ear and she struggled to set herself free. By doing that she spilled some of the cauldron's contents on her robes. She turned around and saw Draco standing their and grinning at her.  
  
"How dare you scare me again!" she shouted still carrying the cauldron in her hands.  
  
"It's your fault for not being alert. And for being so deep in thought about me again. Go fantasize about someone else Granger."  
  
"I believe you think too highly of yourself. And now you say it's my fault that most of my potion spilled on-" she stopped. She felt a painful sting in her stomach and chest.  
  
"Shit!" she exclaimed her eyes widening. She dropped her cauldron to the floor spilling the remaining contents of it. She quickly removed her robe and threw it on the floor. She was wearing a t-shirt that already had a huge hole forming on it.  
  
"Turn around." She ordered Draco. He didn't move. He just stared at Hermione.  
  
"I said turn around." She repeated. He did and as soon as he turned around, Hermione removed her shirt as well. She had a few red burns on her stomach. "Ouch." She whispered.  
  
"What happened?" Draco asked.  
  
"The potion isn't done yet and because of that, it could burn anything. Weren't you listening in class?"  
  
"No. Don't care." he answered.  
  
"So what do you suppose we should do now?" Hermione said. She was facing his back.  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"You just spilled my potion and even some of it on me." She said angrily.  
  
"I'll give you mine." He said and he faced her.  
  
"Merlin's beard! You disgusting pervert turn around!" Hermione screamed as she covered her upper body with her hands.  
  
Draco did not turn around. He walked towards her without saying a word. "What the hell are you planning to do?" she screamed at him. Draco rolled his eyes and removed his robe. He handed it to Hermione. She reluctantly looked at it but she did take it and wore it. Draco was still watching her. Then he started walking towards their quarters.  
  
"What's the deal Malfoy?" she bursted out. "Why are you being so nice to me?"  
  
Malfoy stopped walking and turned around. "What do you want me to say?"  
  
"I want you to answer my question. Why? Why were you so nice to me during the Holidays? Today? And those other days? And then sometimes you act like you don't care I exist. Like that day when you were with Pansy. I can't read you." She shouted.  
  
"I don't get it Draco. I don't."  
  
"Too bad." he said coldly. Then he walked again, said their password, and walked in their quarters.  
  
Hermione, for some reason, teared a little. But she quickly wiped them away and she was angry with her actions. She used her wand to fix the broken cauldron and made all her other damaged belongings burn right there in the corridor. Mrs. Norris came running to the hall with the smell of fire. Hermione ignored the roaring cat. She put off the fire and with her wand. She made it look like there wasn't any sign of fire at all.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
In his bedroom, Draco lied down on the floor. He ruffled his hair angrily.  
  
"Too bad." he said again.  
  
"Because I don't either."  
  
A/N: I haven't updated for so long. o.O Anyway, thanks for everyone who reviewed and I appreciate ALL of them. The name Kleidemos and everything about him came from a book entitled 'Spartan'. 


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